System and method for hanging an article from a support surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018235366-A1
Application number	US-201815903131-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method for hanging an article from a support surface. The article may be a cabinet, such as a medicine cabinet or the like, although the system described herein may be used for hanging any type of article from a support surface such as a wall. The system uses surface mounting element that is coupled to the support surface and a cam lock that is slidably coupled to the article to hang the article from the support surface by coupling the surface mounting element to the cam lock. Because the cam lock is slidably coupled to the article, the article can move horizontally along the support surface without separating the article from the support surface.

First claim

1 . A system for hanging an article from a support surface, the system comprising:
an article comprising a top end having an elongated mounting element; at least one surface mounting element comprising a first portion and a second portion, the surface mounting element configured to be coupled to a support surface so that the second portion of the surface mounting element protrudes from the support surface; and at least one cam lock comprising a first portion that is slidably mounted to the elongated mounting element and a second portion, the cam lock alterable between: (1) a receiving state in which the second portion of the surface mounting element can be inserted into and removed from the second portion of the cam lock; and (2) a locked state in which the second portion of the surface mounting element is prohibited from being removed from the second portion of the cam lock.

2 . The system according to claim 1 wherein when the surface mounting element is coupled to the support surface and the second portion of the surface mounting element is positioned within the second portion of the cam lock, the article can slide horizontally along the support surface while hanging from the support surface, the cam lock being in a fixed position relative to the support surface and the first portion of the cam lock sliding along the elongated mounting element while the article slides horizontally along the support surface.

3 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the cam lock extends from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis, the cam lock comprising a stem extending between the first and second portions of the cam lock, the first and second portions of the cam lock spaced apart from one another by an annular gap that circumferentially surrounds the stem.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The system according to claim 3 wherein the elongated mounting element is a mounting channel comprising an open top end, and wherein the first portion of the cam lock is positioned within the mounting channel and the stem of the cam lock extends through the open top end of the mounting channel.

6 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the article comprises a front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, the first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces, the top end of the article comprising a top surface extending between the first and second side surfaces of the article along a first axis that is equidistant from the front and rear surfaces of the article, and wherein the elongated mounting element comprises a mounting channel extending along a channel axis that is parallel to the first axis and the mounting channel is located between the first axis and the rear surface of the article.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The system according to claim 1 further comprising:
the top end of the article comprising a top surface; and
a bracket protruding from the top surface of the article and being elongated in a direction parallel to the channel axis, the bracket comprising a first bracket member and a second bracket member that are spaced apart from one another, the elongated mounting element comprising a mounting channel that is defined between the first and second bracket members.

9 . The system according to claim 8 further comprising:
the first bracket member comprising a first wall extending from the top surface of the article and a second wall extending from the first wall;
the second bracket member comprising a third wall extending from the top surface of the article and a fourth wall extending from the third wall; and
wherein the second and fourth walls extend from the first and third walls, respectively, in a direction towards one another.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The system according to claim 9 wherein the mounting channel comprises a lower portion defined between the first and third walls of the first and second bracket members and an upper portion defined between the second and fourth walls of the first and second bracket members, the lower portion having a greater width than the upper portion such that the first portion of the cam lock fits within the lower portion of the mounting channel but not within the upper portion of the mounting channel, wherein the first portion of the cam lock is located within the lower portion of the mounting channel and a stem of the cam lock that extends between the first and second portions of the cam lock is located within the upper portion of the mounting channel, a lower surface of the second and fourth walls resting on a top surface of the first portion of the cam lock.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the elongated mounting element comprises a mounting channel, the first portion of the cam lock is located within the mounting channel and the article is supported by and hangs from a top surface of the first portion of the cam lock.

14 . (canceled)

15 . (canceled)

16 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the elongated mounting element comprises an elongated slot formed into a top surface of the article.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The system according to claim 1 further comprising:
the article extending from a bottom end to the top end along a longitudinal axis;
the at least one surface mounting element comprising a first cam screw and a second cam screw, the first and second cam screws configured to be coupled to the support surface at the same elevation and in a horizontally spaced apart manner;
the at least one cam lock comprising a first cam lock and a second cam lock, the first and second cam locks slidably coupled to the article on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the article; and
wherein the first cam lock is configured to be coupled to the first cam screw and the second cam lock is configured to be coupled to the second cam screw to hang the article from the support surface.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the elongated mounting element comprises a mounting channel that extends along a channel axis, and wherein the first portion of the cam lock is freely slidable within the mounting channel in a direction parallel to the channel axis while being substantially prevented from movement in a direction perpendicular to the channel axis.

21 . A system for hanging an article from a support surface, the system comprising:
an article comprising a top end having a mounting channel extending along a channel axis; and at least one cam lock slidably coupled to the article, the cam lock comprising a first portion that is slidably mounted to the mounting channel of the article and a second portion that protrudes from the mounting channel of the article, the cam lock being movable within the mounting channel in a direction of the channel axis while remaining coupled to the article.

22 . (canceled)

23 . The system according to claim 21 wherein the mounting channel comprises an entry section and a nesting section each having an open top end, and wherein the first portion of the cam lock is configured to pass through the open top end of the entry section of the mounting channel and prevented from passing through the open top end of the nesting section of the mounting channel.

24 . The system according to claim 21 wherein the article extends from a bottom end to the top end along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the at le

Assignees

• Mcs Industries Inc

Inventors

• Pyle Michael Lee
• Mcgowan Steven Patrick
• Kressin Matthew Scott
• Ehrhardt Richard Joseph
• Coyle Jr Robert Terry

Classifications

• A47B95/008 Primary

  Suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls · CPC title

• A47B2230/07

  Releasable locking means or connectors for fastening together parts of furniture · CPC title

• A47B67/02

  Cabinets for shaving tackle, medicines, or the like · CPC title

• A47B96/06

  Brackets or similar supporting means for cabinets, racks or shelves ({A47B96/022 takes precedence; } aspects of adjusting height or inclination A47B57/00 {; brackets for the display of articles A47F5/08}) · CPC title